My First Puccini

On this CD:

1. Turandot, opera Nessun dorma
Composed by Giacomo Puccini
Performed by Turin Radio Symphony Orchestra & Chorus
Conducted by Oliviero de Fabritiis

2. Tosca, opera E lucevan le stelle
Composed by Giacomo Puccini
Performed by London Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Alberto Erede

3. La bohème, opera Che gelida manina
Composed by Giacomo Puccini
Performed by Licia Albanese, George Cehanovsky, Nicola Moscona, Leonard Warren, Patrice Munsel
Conducted by Renato Cellini

4. La bohème, opera O soave fanciulla
Composed by Giacomo Puccini
Performed by Licia Albanese, George Cehanovsky, Nicola Moscona, Leonard Warren, Patrice Munsel
Conducted by Renato Cellini

5. La bohème, opera O Mimì più tu non torni
Composed by Giacomo Puccini
Performed by Licia Albanese, George Cehanovsky, Nicola Moscona, Leonard Warren, Patrice Munsel
Conducted by Renato Cellini

6. La bohème, opera Sono andati?
Composed by Giacomo Puccini
Performed by Licia Albanese, George Cehanovsky, Nicola Moscona, Leonard Warren, Patrice Munsel
Conducted by Renato Cellini

7. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera Viene la sera
Composed by Giacomo Puccini
Performed by Renata Tebaldi
Conducted by Gaetano Merola

8. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera Bimba dagli occhi pieni di malia
Composed by Giacomo Puccini
Performed by Renata Tebaldi
Conducted by Gaetano Merola

9. Tosca, opera E lucevan le stelle
Composed by Giacomo Puccini

Conducted by Gaetano Merola

10. La bohème, opera Che gelida manina
Composed by Giacomo Puccini
Performed by Bidu Sayao
Conducted by Gaetano Merola

11. La bohème, opera O soave fanciulla
Composed by Giacomo Puccini
Performed by Bidu Sayao
Conducted by Gaetano Merola

12. Tosca, opera E lucevan le stelle
Composed by Giacomo Puccini

13. Tosca, opera Che gelida manina
Composed by Giacomo Puccini

14. Tosca, opera Recondita armonia
Composed by Giacomo Puccini
Performed by Maria Callas
Conducted by Guido Picco

15. Tosca, opera E lucevan le stelle con bis
Composed by Giacomo Puccini
Performed by Maria Callas
Conducted by Guido Picco

16. Tosca, opera O dolci mani
Composed by Giacomo Puccini
Performed by Maria Callas
Conducted by Guido Picco

17. Il tabarro (The Cloak), opera Hai ben ragione...Il pane lo guadagni
Composed by Giacomo Puccini

Conducted by Otto Ackermann

Tracks:

Love Theme From Romeo & Juliet
Song To The Moon
Komm Mit Mir Ins Chambre Separee
Etude From Op.10 No. 3 In E Major
O Mio Babbino Caro (O My Darling Boy)
Londonderry Air (Danny Boy)
Violin Concerto No.3 In G Major, K.216: Adagio
Spharenklange (Music Of The Spheres)
Giuditta: Meine Lippen, Sie Kussen So Heiss
Plaisis D'amour
Wiener Lied (Viennese Song)
Adagio From Clarinet Concerto In A Major, K.622
Serenata
Die Letzte Rose (The Last Rose)
The 'New World' Symphony: Far From Home, Largo
Romeo & Juliet: Love Theme

Amazon.com

Set the table, open the wine, light some candles. Slip on this disc. Let the gentle sounds of André Rieu's slippery fiddle and fur-tipped orchestra lull you with classical music's most memorable soothers, from "O Mio Babbino Caro" and "Plasir D'Amour" to the largo from Dvorák's New World Symphony and Nino Rota's "A Time for Us," which opens and closes the collection. Lightweight stuff, yes, but ingenuously arranged and performed, and the ribbon of reverb that surrounds the orchestra will please erstwhile Mantovani fans. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

Romantic Moments.... Andre Rieu.......2007-02-24

Love this music & Andre Rieu is popular with not only my husband & myself but with our children & parents. It's fun & a wonderful way to introduce the classics to any & all lovers of music.

Andre Rieu - Romantic Moments.......2006-08-31

Oh, So beautiful---- every track!!!!! My personal favorite has to be the soothing SERENATA. So, get comfy, put on the headphones so you won't miss a single note...... Andre Rieu's violin is magical!!!!!

Decent playing, lousy arrangements.......2005-11-11

Well, apparently I'm in the minority, but I found this CD disappointing. I bought it because I fell in love with "Song to the Moon" when I heard it on the radio, but this track and possibly the "Londonderry Air" are the only ones worth listening to. Although the melodies chosen for this album are indeed beautiful, the arrangements (Rieu's own) are poorly done. I would much more highly recommend Joshua Bell's Romance of the Violin, which has a similar theme, albeit restricted to classical tunes.

Forget the hype, this is great music.......2005-08-04

Try not to think about the cheesy "Andre Rieu in Tuscany" PBS special. This is a very pleasing program of selections of great romantic melodies, beautifully arranged. Few people are going to purchase a CD of Dvorak's Rusalka just to hear "Song to the Moon" so this is the place to hear it. And it's even better on Rieu's violin than in the original vocal version. Rieu plays perfectly in tune (not always easy in the higher registers of the violin) and has exquisite phrasing that brings out the musicality of even the most over-recorded selections.

Rhieu's arrangements (with Jo Huijts) have hints of "beautiful music" (think Ray Coniff) but only hints, and the result is very tasteful. For example, the piano obligato under the strings on "O mio babbino caro" makes you wish that Puccini had thought of that.

This is a wonderful album to listen to while relaxing and would make a great gift for someone who appreciates classical music but doesn't have specific preferences.

Music That Will Touch Your Heart.......2004-12-05

This one is one of my favorites of Andre Rieu. It's very romantic. It reminded me of my honeymoon in Vienna. I like to play it at home a lot. It lifts the spirit and touches the heart. Made me cry one time.

Average customer rating:

No. 1 Wedding Album

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Classical Wedding

ASIN: B000095J85
Release Date: 2003-05-13

Tracks:

Wedding Bells - The #1 Wedding Album
Bridal Chorus - Wagner
Allegro - Peter Hurford
Trumpet Tune And Air - Philip Jones
Prelude - Pierre Cochereau
Air - J.S. Bach
Largo In F - Randall Wolfgang
Sheep May Safely Graze - J.S. Bach
Largo Ma Non Tanto - Regis Pasquier
My Heart Will Go On - Patricia Spero
Panis Angelicus - Luciano Pavarotti
Ave Maria - Lisa Otto
One Hand, One Heart - Jose Carreras
Alleluja (Allegro) - Arleen Auger
See The Conquering Hero Comes - Simon Preston
Let The Bright Seraphim - Joan Sutherland
Alla Hornpipe - Handel
Wedding March - Stephen Cleobury

Tracks:

Bridal Chorus - Stephen Cleobury
Trumpet Voluntary - John Wilbraham
Trumpet Tune In C - Purcell
Allegro - Maurice Andre
Sonata - The Philip Jones Brass Ensemble
Canon In D - Pachelbel
The Heart Asks Pleasure First - Jean-Yves Thibaudet
Sleepers Awake - Peter Hurford
Greensleeves - Goran Sollscher
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring - J.S. Bach
Ave Maria - Leontyne Price
O Mio Babbino Caro - Ranata Tebaldi
How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place - John Scott
Be My Love - Jose Carreras
Because - Placido Domingo
Rondeau - Simon Preston
Wedding Day At Troldhaugen - Wolfgang Marschner
Canzon In Imitation Of An English Bergamask - The Philip Jones Brass Ensemble
La Rejouissance - Handel
Wedding March - Mendelssohn

Excellence: The Artistry of Karita Mattila

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Soaring Lyric Soprano at Her Best in Diverse Compilation

Excellence: The Artistry of Karita Mattila

Manufacturer: Ondine
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Wild Rose
The Very Best of Lucia Popp

ASIN: B0002MPQKK
Release Date: 2004-09-21

Tracks:

Dedication
The Nut Tree
You Are Like A Flower
My Love Is In Bloom
Vain Serenade
The Path To The Beloved
When The Sun Shines
Miriam's Song I
Miriam's Song II
Morning Song
Autumn Mood
To Evening
Did I Just Dream?
The First Kiss
The Tryst
Black Roses
Hail Mary
Song To The Moon
Return, Victorious!
I Have Live For Art
Csardas
Somewhere
I Could Have Danced All Night

Customer Reviews:

Soaring Lyric Soprano at Her Best in Diverse Compilation.......2005-05-08

I was fortunate enough to see the magnificent soprano Karita Mattila perform the title role in Janácek's "Kát'a Kabanová" at the Metropolitan Opera last December. A striking blonde and a charismatic presence onstage, she lifted me from my upper balcony seat by the sheer volume of her voice. As this best-of compilation proves, Mattila is an accomplished singer who knows how to wrap her voice around the most challenging of measures and still display a rare communicative gift to all who listen. This wide-ranging collection (recorded from 1995 to 2001) shows how she effectively uses the timbre of her voice to gauge the emotional terrain of a song. It's a testament of her interpretive artistry that you never hear her reaching for an unnecessary flourish.

Mattila's versatility within the Romantic movement is showcased to strong advantage in the Schumann and Brahms selections, where she handles the delicacy of the melodies with lovely economy. Then there are a series of pieces by master composers from her homeland, Finland - Oskar Merikanto, Erkki Melartin, Toivo Kuula and the most famous, Jean Sibelius. It helps that so many of these selections invoke the haunting, desolate beauty of Nordic landscapes, which are ideally infused by the cool radiance of her vocal tone. Especially in the Sibelius sections, you hear how Mattila captures his very powerful modal implications drawn out over a number of notes. Ilmo Ranta accompanies on piano with immaculate skill on all the Romantic and Finnish selections.

From that point, the disc goes into more familiar programming starting with a lovely version of Schubert's "Ave Maria" and an ethereal performance of Dvorak's "Song to the Moon" from "Rusalka" with a rich string accompaniment. More dramatic interpretations follow with her one-two punch of Italian arias: a rousing "Ritorna vincitor" from Verdi's "Aida" and the bitter melancholy she expresses in Puccini's "Vissi d'Arte" from "Tosca". For all intents and purposes, the disc should have ended with the high-flying dramatic runs she displays in her impressive live performance of Strauss' "Klänge der Heimat" from "Die Fledermaus". Jukka-Pekka Saraste masterfully conducts the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra on all these selections.

Alas, the last two tracks highlight Mattila's ability to crossover to Tin Pan Alley. It's arguable as to whether their inclusion is necessary - a harp-introduced rendition of "Somewhere" from Bernstein and Sondheim's "West Side Story", which she sings with thankfully elegant simplicity, and more frustratingly, a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed version of "I Could Have Danced All Night" from Lerner and Lowe's "My Fair Lady", where her Finnish accent betrays her only when she enunciates "dance" with the roundest of o's. Regardless, Mattila is a lyric soprano with powers of expansive generosity, a mature and warm tone in the middle register, and an upper register that effortlessly releases the excitement of an emotional climax. Even with the Broadway tunes, she displays a sophisticated gift for phrasing. Strongly recommended.

Average customer rating:

Rysanek is a goddess.
A great recital disc!!!
Unbelievable
Astonishing
A SHINING SOPRANO IN A STUNNING RECITAL

Opera Arias

Manufacturer: RCA
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Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000003GB6
Release Date: 1997-09-16

Tracks:

La forza del destino:: Pace, pace, mio Dio
TOSCA: Vissi d'arte
Aida: Ritorna vincitor
Aida: Qui Radames verra; O patria mia
Andrea Chenier: La mamma morta
Turandot: In questa reggia
Cavalleria Rusticana: Voi lo sapete
Otello;: Canzone del salce
Otello;: Ave Maria
Un Ballo in Maschera: Ma dall arido stelo divulsa
Un Ballo in Maschera: Morro, ma prima in grazia
Macbeth: 'Nel di della vittoria...'; Vieni! t'affretta! accendere
Macbeth: La luce langua
Otello: Gia nella notte densa

Customer Reviews:

Rysanek is a goddess........2006-06-05

As a few other reviewers have written, this was also my introduction to Leonie Rysanek. My dad bought this disc for me when I finally realized that Beverly Sills wasn't the be all, end all of the opera world, and I had started listening to Nilsson, Callas, and Sutherland. He said that I should check out this soprano, so I happily took the CD and listened to the whole thing straight through. It starts with one of Verdi's most exciting and gorgeous arias for Dramatic Soprano, "Pace, pace, mio Dio," which showcases a lot of Leonie is about. Beautiful pianissimo high notes, which became one of her trademarks, and then a thrilling high note at the end.

I was instantly in awe of her voice. I eagerly listened to the rest of the recital CD. I think the highlights of this recital are the arias from Macbeth and Otello. Even though Leonie specialized in German Rep, singing roles like Chrysothemis in Elektra, The Empress in Die Frau Ohne Schatten, and Salome in Salome, she also made Lady Macbeth and Desdemona her own! "Nel dì della vittoria...Vieni! t'affretta! accendere," is the best track on the album. This is Leonie at her best, singing the role she made her Met debut singing. She handles the runs with ease and hits every note thrillingly. Leonie always said she was intimidated by Nilsson and refused to sing Isolde and Brunhilde for that reason, but Nilsson has nothing on her as Lady Macbeth.

Leonie does have her weaknesses, but they're easily looked over once you hear her HUGE upper register, and in roles that her voice fits very well in, the sharpness and breathiness in her lower and middle register are not as evident. She is a soprano that every opera fan should know and listen to. She and Nilsson truly are, in my humble opinion, the greatest Wagnerian Sopranos of the post war era...well...besides like Flagstad...but whatever. Anyway, get this recital disc, and once you're done with it, buy any Die Frau Ohne Schatten with Leonie, preferably the early one, and one of her Salome recordings. You won't regret it!

A great recital disc!!!.......2003-11-01

This recital was my introduction to the fabulous artistry of Leonie Rysanek. Having read so many good things about this soprano, I decided to buy this disc and hear for myself. This disc was a very pleasant surprise.

Rysanek has a huge, rich, soaring soprano voice. Her voice's glory is its intense, powerful, immense upper register. Hearing her top B's, B-flats, and C's on disc definitely makes one wonder about the effect this voice had in the opera house. The speakers of my stereo were barely able to contain her awesome high notes. Rysanek's voice has two other registers and they, unfortunately, are not as strong as her upper register. Her middle register is a bit thick and slow-moving, while her lower register is almost non-existent. As a result, low notes, such as the ones in "Mai nessun, nessun m'avrà" in "In questa reggia", are barely audible. Her tendency to sharp on middle register notes is well known and is evident here. However, nothing here goes terribly awry pitch-wise. Hearing her glorious, soaring high notes is ample compensation. Rysanek's middle register did eventually strengthen and her lower register did fill in, which allowed her to embark on a second singing career as a mezzo-soprano.

Besides her wonderful, if slightly marred, singing, what impresses me most about her is her dramatic commitment. Every aria here, as well as the duet from "Otello", is given its dramatic due. Her interpretation of each one is unique. From hearing about Rysanek being a true creature of the stage, one can only imagine how effective she must have been in an opera house. I really wish that I could have been able to see her in a live opera performance in her prime. Oh well.

A few of the disc's highlights:

There is a beautifully floated, pianissimo high B-flat in "Pace, pace, mio Dio". A powerful high B-flat at the end of "Vissi d'arte". Gorgeous soft singing in the last section of "Ritorna vincitor". A super-powerful forte high C at the climax of "O patria mia" that leaves the listener breathless with awe. Believe me, after hearing her blast out this note, you will be glad that she didn't follow Verdi's pianissimo marking for this note. Great high notes in "In questa reggia". The aria itself is beautifully sung, with Rysanek sounding like a vulnerable princess instead of sounding like a cruel and ice-cold one. A very affecting Willow Song and "Ave Maria", both full of shimmering pianissimos. Dramatically exciting and vocally thrilling accounts of "Vieni! t'affretta!" and "La luce langue", complete with blazing high notes. Her reading of the letter reveals a beautiful speaking voice and perfectly pronounced Italian. A wonderful "Già della notte densa" from "Otello". Jon Vickers, despite sounding a bit strained, is wonderful in this duet and Rysanek really shines as Desdemona.

A few drawbacks:

Some unidiomatic Italian diction is present in her singing. Her account of "Ma dall'arido stelo divulsa" reveals this. Rysanek does not pause to prepare for the final "Signor" in "Vissi d'arte". This lessens the excitement of the following high B-flat. The difficult last phrase in "O patria mia" is broken up for breath, which dampens its effect. Montserrat Caballé, in her studio recording of "Aïda", takes this phrase in one breath and the effect is marvelous.

I have greatly enjoyed listening to this disc and recommend it to all fans of great singing.

Unbelievable.......2003-10-02

You'll never believe that anyone can sing like this. Magnificent. The top B's, C's and D flats are taken with conssumate ease. It is as if no difficulties exist for Rysanek. This would rank with Joan Sutherland's "The Art of Prima Donna" as one of the best ever recital committed to recording.

Astonishing.......2003-08-30

Leonie Rysanek was one of the greatest dramatic sopranos ever. Sad to say, her recorded legacy is kind of sparse. She disliked the recording studio and chose not to record a lot of her parts in studio. For example, she declined recording Chrysothemis with Birgit Nilsson in Solti's Elektra, which is really a great pity because her presence would have made that set unbeatable. Thankfully, she recorded Leonore with Fricsay (DG), Senta with Dorati (Decca), Lady Macbeth with Leinsdorf (RCA - some arias included in this selection), Desdemona with Serafin (RCA), Sieglinde with Bohm (DG), the Empress with bohm (Decca & DG), Elektra with Bohm (Unitel film soundtrack). And we have 'live' recordings from broadcasts in superb stereo of her incomparable Salome with Bohm (RCA) and Kempe (Golden Melodram) and her Klytamnestra. We have her Herodias with Sinopoli (DG), her 'live' Chrysothemis with Nilsson, James Levine at the Met on DVD, her Ortrud again at the Met on DVD. Sad to say, she never commercially recorded Aida, Turandot, Tosca or Amelia or La Forza del destino, the Marschallin or Ariadne. This recital disc helps to fill that gap. Here, we have arias from La forza del destino, Tosca, Aida, Otello (from her recording with Serafin), Macbeth (from her recording with Leinsdorf), Un ballo in maschera, Turandot, Andrea Chenier and Cavalleria rusticana.

The recording is in superb stereo and her rich voice comes through thrillingly. Leonie Rysanek says "If there is a single record with which I'm largely satisfied, it is this recital of Italian arias". This coming from Rysanek herself, who disliked the studio, is an understatement. The fact of the matter is that her performances here are all on fire - thrillingly intense. Those high C's and top notes are rich and super intense - something only Birgit Nilsson can match. It is really sad that really good singers often get overlooked while squally singers get their name on every other opera recording of commercial recording companies. Leonie Rysanek could have sung Brunnhilde, Isolde, Elektra (she did but not on stage or on CD but on a film sound track), triumphed in all those roles and given Birgit Nilsson a run for her money. But she did not. Thankfully, we have this recital record and some of her other 'live' radio broadcasts. Do I recommend this? Of course, it is compulsory listening for all opera lovers. You don't know what is a dramatic soprano is capable of until you hear this!! (Birgit Nilsson was a different type of dramatic soprano and most opera listeners have heard her in her full splendour as Isolde or Brunnhilde or Elektra or Turandot).

Also compulsory listening for opera lovers:
Rysanek's Salome with Kempe on Golden Melodram in superb stereo.
Her Leonore with Fricsay on Deutsche Grammophon, her Sieglinde with Bohm on Philips, and her Empress with Bohm on both Decca and Deutsche.

If you want further listening apart from the compulsory list above, get her Lady Macbeth, Senta, Chrysothemis, Elektra, Klytamnestra, Desdemona and Ortrud as I listed above.

A SHINING SOPRANO IN A STUNNING RECITAL.......2000-05-08

Although remembered today as a Wagner and Strauss specialist, Leonie Rysanek, who died last year at age 71, sang many Italian operatic roles in the earlier portion of her career, and still retained a few of them well beyond then. She had, in her absolute vocal prime, the exact type of voice that Richard Strauss loved to write for ----- high, clear, radiant, at at it's best, thrilling. These are the precise vocal qualities that Rysanek brings to the Italian operatic arias heard on this CD. All of the Verdi arias presented here (from Aida, Ballo, Forza del Destino, and Macbeth) are performed with vocal mastery and complete authority, and the "Cavalleria Rusticana" has the sound of real heartbreak and pathos. The highlight of this recital for me was the "In Questa Reggia" from Puccini's "Turandot", which concludes with one of the most spectacular top C's I've ever heard from ANY soprano. Certainly the versions of all of the arias and scenes heard here have been performed with great distinction by such great sopranos as Tebaldi, Callas, Price, Nilsson, Milanov, etc, but there is something very unique and special in the way Rysanek performs them. There is some truly stunning singing to be heard here from a great artist whose career is now remembered for having specialized in a vastly different repertoire, but it is the very unique sound that made her so suited to the Wagner/Strauss repertoire that makes these Italian operatic items so interesting and special.

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My First Tosca

Manufacturer: Fono
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000F9RLSK
Release Date: 2006-05-09

Album Description

The album features highlights from Tosca, one of the most famous roles of Maria Callas, as recorded 1950-1953 in various venues, including her very first documents of the part. The 1950 and 1952 recordings are live from Mexico City, then extensive highlights from the classic 1953 studio recording, still considered one of the greatest opera recordings ever made, co-starring Giuseppe di Stefano and Tito Gobbi, with Victor de Sabata conducting. Remastered with the Cedar Sound System. The special feature of this release is the extensive booklet showing color photos of the traveling exhibition Maria Callas & Swarovski on Stage, a must for all Callas collectors. On August 2, 1947 (the date of her successful debut in Italy in La Gioconda at the Arena di Verona), Maria Callas wore for the first time a piece of jewelry made in the Atelier Marangoni using Swarovski crystals. This exhibition consists of a unique collection of ornate jewelry from the period 1947 to 196! 0. Every piece has a close, personal connection with Maria Callas. Callas relied almost exclusively on the craftsmanship of the Atelier Marangoni for her stage jewelry. On the basis of sketches by major directors such as Franco Zeffirelli and Luchino Visconti or famous costume designers such as Lila de Nobili, Marangoni created extraordinary works of art, which, despite having a sparkling life of their own, did not detract from the performances of the great opera singer. Marangoni used only Swarovski crystal gemstones in his jewelry on specific demand of the "Divina". Swarovski acquired the Atelier Marangoni in 1999, and thus prevented the collection of Maria Callas's stage jewelry from being dispersed all around the world.

Christmas Hymns & Carols: You Do Something to Me

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A Perfect Introduction to Mario Lanza

Christmas Hymns & Carols: You Do Something to Me

Manufacturer: Collectables
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Lord's Prayer - Jeff Alexander Choir, Mario Lanza
First Noel - Jeff Alexander Choir, Mario Lanza
O Come All Ye Faithful - Jeff Alexander Choir, Mario Lanza
Away in a Manger (Luther's Cradle Hymn) - Jeff Alexander Choir, Mario Lanza
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - Jeff Alexander Choir, Mario Lanza, Henri Ren His Orchestra
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Jeff Alexander Choir, Mario Lanza, Henri Ren His Orchestra
O Little Town of Bethlehem - Jeff Alexander Choir, Mario Lanza
We Three Kings of Orient Are - Jeff Alexander Choir, Mario Lanza
Silent Night - Jeff Alexander Choir, Mario Lanza
Guardian Angels - Jeff Alexander Choir, Mario Lanza
I Saw Three Ships - Jeff Alexander Choir, Mario Lanza, Henri Ren His Orchestra
O Holy Night - Mario Lanza, RCA Victor Orchestra

Customer Reviews:

A Perfect Introduction to Mario Lanza.......2004-11-28

What a pleasure to find two excellent Lanza LPs on one CD. The compilation album You Do Something To Me, first released in 1958, was arguably the best sampling of Lanza's versatility that RCA ever put together. Whether by accident or design, the album offered stunning examples of Lanza's prowess in different genres: popular ballads, operetta, opera, and Italian song. While one might quibble at the absence of Neapolitan songs, it should be noted that at the time of this album's release, Lanza had not yet recorded his finest collection of that genre - the album Mario! (now available on the CD Mario! Lanza At His Best).

The standout tracks from You Do Something To Me are the title song; the thrilling (and rarely heard) Some Day from a 1951 radio show; the song Beloved from the film version of The Student Prince; and a sublime rendition of Che Gelida Manina from La Boheme. There are also impressive renditions of the aria O Tu Che in Seno agli Angeli from The Force of Destiny; the lovely Sylvia; Song of India; and the exciting Lolita. Unlike many of RCA's other Lanza compilations, there is nothing downright bad on the album, though Lygia and the over-exuberant Flower Song should have been remade.

The other album featured here is Lanza's first (and best) album of Christmas songs and carols, originally released in 1956. (Note: the same renditions also feature on the BMG CDs Christmas With Mario Lanza and Christmas Hymns and Carols.) Recorded between 1950 and 1956, most of the numbers showcase the tenor in fine vocal fettle. Ignore the moments of sharpness on O Holy Night, The Lord's Prayer, and Joy to the World, and instead revel in the beauty and commitment that Lanza brings to his singing here.

All in all, a splendid introduction to a vocal phenomenon.

Average customer rating:

Beyond Imagination

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Musical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
ASIN: B0000648D7
Release Date: 2002-01-01

Tracks:

One Fine Day (Un Bel Di) [From Madame Butterfly] - Kodo, Opera Babes
Sempre Ricordo (Piano Concerto in a Minor)
There's a Piece (The New World Symphony)
Beyond Imagination [A Midsummer Night's Dream]
O Fortuna [Carmina Burana]
Lakm20 [Flower Duet]
Ebben?..Ne Andrntana [LA Wally]
You Live on in My Heart [Cinema Paradiso]
Chanson Boh [From Carmen] - Juan Mart Opera Babes,
Remember Me
Stranger in Paradise [From Kismet]
Ode II Joy (Symphony No. 9)
1001 Nights [The Nutcracker Suite]
Barcarolle (The Tales of Hoffmann)
LakmVibetribe Mix]

Average customer rating:

Good, but hardly "ultimate"!
the power and beauty of the longest note
Wonderful collection of Lanza music

Ultimate Collection
Irving Aaronson , Nicholas Brodszky , Eduardo di Capua , Luigi Denza , Rudolf Friml , Garinei , Charles Gounod , Guy d' Hardelot , Isadore de Lara , Ruggero Leoncavallo , Jose Padilla , Panzeri , Giacomo Puccini , Nikolay Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov , Richard Rodgers , Sigmund Romberg , Italian Traditional , Giuseppe Verdi , Frederick Edward Weatherly , Carlo Savina , Constantine Callinicos , Franco Ferraro , George Stoll , Henri Rene , Ray Sinatra , Mario Lanza , Eudice Shapiro , and Luisa di Mio
Manufacturer: Bmg Int'l
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Russian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music

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Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

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Musicals | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
ASIN: B0000071HM
Release Date: 1995-10-12

Tracks:

Be My Love
Drink, Drink, Drink
Rigoletto: Act IV: La Donna Mobile
Danny Boy
Granada
Because You're Mine
Ave Maria
Valencia
Loveliest Night of the Year
Song of India
Because
O Sole Mio
Donkey Serenade
I Pagliacci: Act I: Vesti la Giubba
Serenade
FuniculFunicul
Golden Days
Arrivederci Roma
You'll Never Walk Alone
Beloved
Come Prima
Tosca: Act III: E Lucevan le Stelle
Santa Lucia
I'll Walk With God

Customer Reviews:

Good, but hardly "ultimate"!.......2001-08-20

As a Lanza admirer of many years, I find this CD disappointing. True, there are magnificent recordings scattered throughout (Serenade, Beloved, E Lucevan Le Stelle, Drink! Drink! Drink!, etc) but there are too many weaker moments for the collection to deserve the accolade "Ultimate". The poorly reproduced Valencia, for example, suffers from pitch problems, and the ubiquitous Funiculi Funicula (oddly in mono here, for a change, with the singer pushed right back) does not represent Lanza at anywhere near his magnificent best. Ironically, this selection is the only below-par performance from his otherwise superb Neapolitan collection, Mario! Lanza At His Best.

The sound quality is inconsistent. Because You're Mine, for example, is reproduced here to dazzling effect with all the colors of Lanza's voice at their most gorgeous. Granada and O Sole Mio, on the other hand, suffer from even more distortion than usual, and the aforementioned Valencia has been inflicted with an echo chamber.

My other gripe is that inferior versions of several of the selections have been chosen. You'll Never Walk Alone is not Lanza at his best, and for a better performance seek out the alternate take on the CD of the same name. Vesti La Giubba and La Donna E Mobile, though good, are not in the same class as his later recordings of these arias.

Still, as introductions go, this release basically serves its purpose. And if there is one day an "Utimate Collection, Volume 2", may I suggest that BMG considers such gems as Lanza's 1949 Che Gelida Manina from "La Boheme", M'appari from "Martha", the Improvviso from Andrea Chenier and his unsurpassed Otello Monologue. Let's also not forget his thrilling Some Day (the 1951 Coke performance and *not* the illness-affected 1959 rendition, please note!), the gorgeous A Vucchella and Lanza's own favorite recording, the haunting Voce E Notte. Such a collection would offer a truer sampling of Lanza's versatility and vocal prowess.

the power and beauty of the longest note.......2000-02-03

Within the first 20 seconds of Granada can be found the longest note that only Mario Lanza is capable of delivery. Power - beauty -timbre - awe,believe what you hear or explain it all that he had two extra lungs he never told anybody about

Wonderful collection of Lanza music.......1998-09-30

Memorable recordings from a young singer destined to become another Caruso before his untimely death. Had he survived, the current Three Tenors would have had to be Mario Lanza and The Other Three Tenors.

Average customer rating:

Renata Tebaldi: My First Concert

Manufacturer: Enterprise
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00005YQTZ
Release Date: 2002-02-26

Average customer rating:

Will we EVER hear a more glorious sound?
Tebaldi fans, this is a "must have".
Glorious singing admist uneven sound
Tebaldi's Fonit Cetra and Decca 78s Released!!

My First Record

Manufacturer: Enterprise
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00005MJXM
Release Date: 2001-07-24

Tracks:

Il Trovatore: Act I: Tacea La Notte Lacida
Tosca: Act II: Vissi D'arte
Faust: Act III: Come Vorrei Saper...C'era Un Re' - Canzone Del Re Di Thule
Faust: Act III: Ah, Che Strano - Canzone Dei Gioielli
Aida: Act I: Ritorna Vincitor...L'insana Parola...I Sacri Nomi
Madama Butterfly: Un Bel Di Vedremo
Manon Lescaut: Act II: In Quelle Trine Morbide
La Boheme: Act I: Si. Mi Chiamano Mimi
La Boheme: Act III: Donde Lieta Usci
Andrea Chenier, Act III: La Mamma Morta
La Wally: Act I: Ebben?...Ne Andro Lontana
Mefistofele: Act III: L'altra Notte In Fondo Al Mare
Le Nozze Di Figaro: Act IV: Giunse Alfin Il Momento/Deh Vieni, Non Tardar
La Traviata: Act III: Teneste La Promessa/Addio Del Passato
Otello: Act IV: Piangea Cantando La Canzone Del Salice
Otello: Act IV: Ave Maria
Aida: Act III: O Cieli Azzurri

Customer Reviews:

Will we EVER hear a more glorious sound?.......2004-01-05

It's been almost 55 years since the recording of the recitals included on this cd and there still hasn't appeared a more sumptuous, glorious voice than Renata Tebaldi's. Even singers blessed with gorgeous voices like Montserrat Caballe have admitted that Tebaldi's was the most perfect voice they had ever heard! One can go on using numerous superlatives to describe her instrument but nothing will please our ears more than stop talking and simply enjoy the sound of the young Renata Tebaldi.

But was Tebaldi just a wonderful voice? The arias heard on this cd are among the most famous soprano arias, yet when I listen to Tebaldi it's as if I'm hearing them for the first time. Listen how she phrases the two simple words "del mare" in Un bel di or how she communicates Marguerite's excitement and Mimmi's feelings about the first sunshine, the first kiss. Each aria is transformed through Renata's singing, enough said!

The sound is not excellent in all tracks but I expected it worse. Once she starts singing I forget about the poor sonics. This is not another great recital you should own, it's a historical testament and a tribute to the miracle of the human voice!

Tebaldi fans, this is a "must have"........2002-05-28

I gave this 5 stars in spite of the sound problems. I AM a Tebaldi fan and proud of it. This cd has selections I hadn't heard before. The Nozzi di Figaro aria I found particularly enjoyable. I had not heard Tebaldi sing this before. Her voice is so delicate in this aria it just leaves me smiling breathlessly at the end every time. Many of these arias I heard for the first time in the '60's. I was/am, for lack of a better word, gleeful at being able to hear them when the voice was young. I was unaware Tebaldi had done any 78's or recorded for Cetra. These are especially cherished. The ease with which she sings the not often heard arias only augments my already heretofor great love for this radiant voice. I've ordered more copies of this cd. My sister and a couple of friends will love it as I do. There is indeed an uneveness of sound but that can be easily ignored when you think what you're getting -- "hard to find" old recordings on one cd. Well worth the price and a valued asset to any Tebaldi collection.

Glorious singing admist uneven sound.......2001-12-19

I agree with the first reviewer about Tebaldi's singing on this disc. In fact, these early recordings from 1949-1950 show Tebaldi at her youthful best, with her lovely lyric-dramatic soprano voice in fresh, pristine condition.

For me, the plum of the pudding must be two Puccini arias she recorded for Decca in 1949 --- 'Un bel di vedremo' from Madama Butterfly and 'In quelle trine morbide' from Manon Lescaut. Has anyone ever heard a lovelier and more idiomatic account of both arias? Moreover, she displays much spirit and imaginations in terms of characterisation.

From the Cetra items, 'O patria mia' from Aida is thrillingly sung, with the horrendous high C ably managed (In her much later 1959 recording with Karajan, that note sounds simply awkward). Yet the pick from the cetra recordings has to be Desdemona's act 4 scena from Otello. In fact, I would consider this the best of all her renditions of the scena on records. In it Tebaldi provides a near ideal marriage of vocal splendor and dramatic pathos, and adumbrates much of Desdemona's desparations and plights, with the 'ave maria' presented as a fervent prayer, sublimely sung.

Now comes the caveat, which is the reason why I rate this disc with only four stars. The disc deserves better sound and remastering. From what I heard, the tracks gathered on the disc might have been reproduced from sources that are not in good conditions. The first two tracks (the Il trovatore and Tosca excerpts from the 1949 Decca session) is spoiled by audible tape hiss, while the Faust, Aida, Butterfly and Manon Lescaut exerpts have a rather 'scratchy' surface that detract from what should have been our perfect pleasure of bathing in Tebaldi's glorious, velvety sound. The problem is even more serious, almost intolerable, when it comes to the Cetra sources, with too much reverberations (as though one is hearing the diva from a long distance in an large empty hall), as well as irritating distortions on the high voice.

Despite the above serious caveat, one is presented here with a mouth-watering feast of glorious singing. Unless you are picky and fussy over the sound, the disc should give much pleasure. Tebaldi fans might consider this indispensable.

Tebaldi's Fonit Cetra and Decca 78s Released!!.......2001-11-23

This CD, with a running time of over 79 minutes, collects ALL of her 1949 London recordings, along with the elusive Fonit Cetra 78s she made in 1950.

The seven Decca arias were completed in ONE session instead of the scheduled three, and the surprised orchestra was no longer needed. Decca let Renata and her mother enjoy themselves for her perfect recording session!!

The Fonit Cetra arias are incredible, Tebaldi at her youngest, having no trouble with anything. Her "O Patria Mia" is the closest you will ever hear to her doing it live. The Boheme arias unfortunately suffer from being transferred from a damaged lp, which was not the original source, obviously. But for those who haven't heard these arias, this is well worth the money.

I don't think that BOTH the '49 Decca arias AND the Fonit Cetra have ever been put on CD before, and here they are. The AIDA arias are outstanding, with incredible sound. "La mamma morta" is a standout, a perfect example of verisimo singing, and the Mefistofele aria will let the young Tebaldi take you to all the places she will go in her career!! Despite some added reverb that should have been removed, these arias are still pure gold to those of us too young to ever have heard them. Highly recommended.

Music Review:

Music Review

music review

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